Drugmakers See Healthy Profits on Flu Pandemic Watch

Reuters reports today, Tuesday, that researchers have figured out how the 1918 flu epidemic turned into a pandemic that killed millions worldwide. It appears a combination of flu strains mutated together to become a virulent killer. The article states that

Most flu experts agree that a pandemic of influenza will almost certainly strike again. No one knows when or what strain it will be but one big suspect now is the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

Drug companies are increasingly drawing revenues from vaccinations. In fact, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is actually stockpiling drugs and vaccines in preparation for an expected pandemic. Glaxo is also encouraging corporations to stockpile flu drugs to prevent a drop in productivity-- a move that obviously helps the company's bottom line.

Industry insiders say Americans aren't getting their flu shots, leading to an oversupply of flu vaccines this year. Yet drugstore company Walgreen's provides further evidence of the increasing profitability of flu vaccines.

From Walgreen's (WAG) FQ109 conference call:

Despite these near term challenges we have seen benefits in December from a recent up tick in the flu and the later than usual Thanksgiving. We continue to gain prescription market share, we now fill 18% of all retail prescriptions in the country.

We’ve seen a big increase in a number of flu vaccines administered this season, delivering over 1.1 million shots which are more than twice what we did all last year.

We’re seeing strong increases for prescription sales; the numbers are up. We saw strong increases in the amount of flu shots we administered; our PSC card is showing strength so we’re pretty encouraged with the trends we’re seeing in pharmacy right now.

Comments

[Kobie:]

Sadly H5N1 or bird flu continues to spread around the world slowly like a bad weed. H5N1 just cropped up agin in Viet Nam and India.

We still have no defense against H5N1 other than hand washing, social distancing and staying home.

Tamiflu has helped reduce the death rate to 62%. Mostly the 15 to 25 that die (source: www.wpro.who.int/NR/rd...)

Wednesday Jan 28th the US dept of Health (HHS) will have its 9th webcast pandemic H5N1 about national stockpilling. Source: www.pandemicflu.gov/ne... You can email your questions beforehand.


Official government site: pandemicflu.gov

There are many others pandemic sites by citizens like getpandemicready.org Some have even written their own get prepared guides that have been reviewed nationwide.

Kobie
H5N1 pandemic wiki and news posts at:
www.newfluwiki2.com/

2008 Dec 30 06:57 AM